thais-第15部分

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stoicism。

EUCRITES。　You　jest；　Nicias；　and；　as　usual；　you　excel　in　ridicule。　But
if　the　ox　of　which　you　speak　is　really　a　god；　like　Apis；　or　like　that
subterranean　ox　whose　high　priest　I　see　here；　and　if　the　frog；　being
wisely　inspired；　succeed　in　equalling　it；　would　it　not　be；　in　fact；
more　virtuous　than　the　ox；　and　could　you　refrain　from　admiring　such　a
courageous　little　animal！

Four　servants　placed　on　the　table　a　wild　pig；　still　covered　with　its
bristles。　Little　pigs；　made　of　pastry；　surrounded　the　animal；　as
though　they　would　suckle；　to　show　that　it　was　a　sow。

Zenothemis；　turning　towards　the　monk；　said

〃Friends；　a　guest　has　come　hither　to　join　us。　The　illustrious
Paphnutius；　who　leads　such　an　extraordinary　life　of　solitude；　is　our
unexpected　guest。〃

COTTA。　You　may　even　add；　Zenothemis；　that　the　place　of　honour　is　due
to　him；　because　he　came　without　being　invited。

ZENOTHEMIS。　Therefore；　we　ought；　my　dear　Lucius；　to　make　him　the　more
welcome；　and　strive　to　do　that　which　would　be　most　agreeable　to　him。
Now　it　is　certain　that　such　a　man　cares　less　for　the　perfumes　of　meat
than　for　the　perfumes　of　fine　thoughts。　We　shall；　doubtless；　please
him　by　discussing　the　doctrine　he　professes；　which　is　that　of　Jesus
crucified。　For　my　own　part；　I　shall　the　more　willingly　discuss　this
doctrine；　because　it　keenly　interests　me；　on　account　of　the　number　and
the　diversity　of　the　allegories　it　contains。　If　one　may　guess　at　the
spirit　by　the　letter；　it　is　filled　with　truths；　and　I　consider　that
the　Christian　books　abound　in　divine　revelations。　But　I　should　not；
Paphnutius；　grant　equal　merit　to　the　Jewish　books。　They　were　inspired
not；　as　it　was　said；　by　the　Spirit　of　God；　but　by　an　evil　genius。
Iaveh；　who　dictated　them；　was　one　of　those　spirits　who　people　the
lower　air；　and　cause　the　greater　part　of　the　evils；　from　which　we
suffer；　but　he　surpassed　all　the　others　in　ignorance　and　ferocity。　On
the　contrary；　the　serpent　with　golden　wings；　which　twined　its　azure
coils　round　the　tree　of　knowledge；　was　made　up　of　light　and　love。　A
combat　between　these　two　powersthe　one　of　light　and　the　other　of
darknesswas；　therefore；　inevitable。　It　occurred　soon　after　the
creation　of　the　world。　God　had　hardly　begun　to　rest　after　His　labors；
Adam　and　Eve；　the　first　man　and　the　first　woman；　lived　happy　and　naked
in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　when　Iaveh　conceivedto　their　misfortunethe
design　of　governing　them　and　all　the　generations　which　Eve　already
bore　in　her　splendid　loins。　As　he　possessed　neither　the　compass　nor
the　lyre；　and　was　equally　ignorant　of　the　science　which　commands　and
the　art　which　persuades；　he　frightened　these　two　poor　children　by
hideous　apparitions；　capricious　threats；　and　thunder…bolts。　Adam　and
Eve；　feeling　his　shadow　upon　them；　pressed　closer　to　one　another；　and
their　love　waxed　stronger　in　fear。　The　serpent　took　pity　on　them；　and
determined　to　instruct　them；　in　order　that；　possessing　knowledge；　they
might　no　longer　be　misled　by　lies。　Such　an　undertaking　required
extreme　prudence；　and　the　frailty　of　the　first　human　couple　rendered
it　almost　hopeless。　The　well…intentioned　demon　essayed　it；　however。
Without　the　knowledge　of　Iavehwho　pretended　to　see　everything；　but；
in　reality；　was　not　very　sharp…sightedhe　approached　these　two
beings；　and　charmed　their　eyes　by　the　splendour　of　his　coat　and　the
brilliancy　of　his　wings。　Then　he　interested　their　minds　by　forming
before　them；　with　his　body；　definite　figures；　such　as　the　circle；　the
ellipse；　and　the　spiral；　the　wonderful　properties　of　which　have　since
been　recognised　by　the　Greeks。　Adam　meditated　on　these　figures　more
than　Eve　did。　But　when　the　serpent　began　to　speak；　and　taught　the　most
sublime　truthsthose　which　cannot　be　demonstratedhe　found　that　Adam
being　made　of　red　earth；　was　of　too　dull　a　nature　to　understand　these
subtle　distinctions；　but　that　Eve；　on　the　contrary；　being　more　tender
and　more　sensitive；　was　easily　impressed。　Therefore　he　conversed　with
her　alone；　in　the　absence　of　her　husband；　in　order　to　initiate　her
first

DORION。　Permit　me；　Zenothemis；　to　interrupt　you。　I　speedily　recognised
in　the　myth　you　have　explained　to　us　an　episode　in　the　war　of　Pallas
Athene　against　the　giants。　Iaveh　much　resembles　Typhoon；　and　Pallas　is
represented　by　the　Athenians　with　a　serpent　at　her　side。　But　what　you
have　said　causes　me　considerable　doubt　as　to　the　intelligence　or　good
faith　of　the　serpent　of　whom　you　have　spoken。　If　he　had　really
possessed　knowledge；　would　he　have　entrusted　it　to　a　woman's　little
head；　which　was　incapable　of　containing　it？　I　should　rather　consider
that　he　was　like　Iaveh；　ignorant　and　a　liar；　and　that　he　chose　Eve
because　she　was　easily　seduced；　and　he　imagined　that　Adam　would　have
more　intelligence　and　perception。

ZENOTHEMIS。　Learn；　Dorion；　that　it　is　not　by　perception　and
intelligence；　but　by　sensibility；　that　the　highest　and　purest　truths
are　reached。　That　is　why　women；　who；　generally；　are　less　reflective
but　more　sensitive　than　men；　rise　more　easily　to　the　knowledge　of
things　divine。　In　them　is　the　gift　of　prophecy；　and　it　is　not　without
reason　that　Apollo　Citharedes；　and　Jesus　of　Nazareth；　are　sometimes
represented　clad；　like　women；　in　flowing　robes。　The　initiator　was
therefore　wisewhatever　you　may　say　to　the　contrary；　Dorionin
bestowing　light；　not　on　the　duller　Adam；　but　on　Eve；　who　was　whiter
than　milk　or　the　stars。　She　freely　listened　to　him；　and　allowed
herself　to　be　led　to　the　tree　of　knowledge；　the　branches　of　which　rose
to　heaven；　and　which　was　bathed　with　the　divine　spirit　as　with　a　dew。
This　tree　was　covered　with　leaves　which　spoke　all　the　languages　of
future　races　of　men；　and　their　united　voices　formed　a　perfect　harmony。
Its　abundant　fruit　gave　to　the　initiated　who　tasted　it　the　knowledge
of　metals；　stones；　and　plants；　and　also　of　physical　and　moral　laws；
but　this　fruit　was　like　fire；　and　those　who　feared　suffering　and　death
did　not　dare　to　put　it　to　their　lips。　Now；　as　she　had　listened
attentively　to　the　lessons　of　the　serpent；　Eve　despised　these　empty
terrors；　and　wished　to　taste　the　fruit　which　gave　the　knowledge　of
God。　But；　as　she　loved　Adam；　and　did　not　wish　him　to　be　inferior　to
her；　she　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　to　the　wonderful　tree。　Then
she　picked　one　of　the　burning　apples；　bit　it；　and　proffered　it　to　her
companion。　Unfortunately；　Iaveh；　who　was　by　chance　walking　in　the
garden；　surprised　them；　and　seeing　that　they　had　become　wise；　he　fell
into　a　most　ungovernable　rage。　It　is　in　his　jealous　fits　that　he　is
most　to　be　feared。　Assembling　all　his　forces；　he　created　such　a
turmoil　in　the　lower　air　that　these　two　weak　beings　were　terrified。
The　fruit　fell　from　the　man's　hand；　and　the　woman；　clinging　to　the
neck　of　her　luckless　husband；　said；　〃I　too　will　be　ignorant　and　suffer
with　him。〃　The　triumphant　Iaveh　kept　Adam　and　Eve　and　all　their　seed
in　a　condition　of　hebetude　and　terror。　His　art；　which　consisted　only
in　being　able　to　make　huge　meteors；　triumphed　over　the　science　of　the
serpent；　who　was　a　musician　and　geometrician。　He　made　men　unjust；
ignorant；　and　cruel；　and　caused　evil　to　reign　in　the　earth。　He
persecuted　Cain　and　his　sons　because　they　were　skilful　workmen；　he
exterminated　the　Philistines　because　they　composed　Orphic　poems；　and
fables　like　those　of　AEsop。　He　was　the　implacable　enemy　of　science　and
beauty；　and　for　long　ages　the　human　race　expiated；　in　blood　and　tears；
the　defeat　of　the　winged　serpent。　Fortunately；　there　arose　among　the
Greeks　learned　men；　such　as　Pythagoras；　and　Plato；　who　recovered　by
the　force　of　genius；　the　figures　and　the　ideas　which　the　enemy　of
Iaveh　had　vainly　tried　to　teach　the　first　woman。　The　soul　of　the
serpent　was　in　them；　and　that　is　why　the　serpent；　as　Dorion　has　said；
is　honoured　by　the　Athenians。　Finally；　in　these　latter　days；　there
appeared；　under　human　form；　three　celestial　spiritsJesus　of　Galilee；
Basilides；　and　Valentinusto　whom　it　was　given　to　pluck　the　finest
fruits　of　that　tree　of　knowledge；　whose　roots　pass　through　all　the
earth；　and　whose　top　reaches　to　the　highest　heaven。　I　have　said　all
this　in　vindication　of　the　Christians；　to　whom　the　errors　of　the　Jews
are　too　often　imputed。

DORION。　If　I　understood　you　aright；　Zenothemis；　you　said　that　three
wonderful　menJesus；　Basilides；　and　Valentinushad　discovered
secrets　which　had　remained　hidden　from　Pythagoras　and　Plato；　and　all
the　philosophers　of　Greece；　and　even　from　the　divine　Epicurus；　who；
however；　has　freed　men　from　the　dread　of　empty　terrors。　You　would
greatly　oblige　me　by　telling　me　by　what　means　these　three　mortals
acquired　knowledge　which　had　eluded　the　most　contemplative　sages。

ZENOTHEMIS。　Must　I　repeat　to　you；　Dorion；　that　science　and　cogitation
are　but　the　first　steps　to　knowledge；　and　that　ecstasy　alone　leads　to
eternal　truth？

HERMODORUS。　It　is　true；　Zenothemis；　that　the　soul　is　nourished　on
ecstasy；　as　the　cicada　is　nourished　on　dew。　But　we　may　even　say　more：
the　mind　alone　is　capable　of　perfect　rapture。　For　man　is　of　a
threefold　nature；　composed　of　material　body；　of　a　soul　which　is　more
subtle；　but　also　material；　and　of　an　incorruptible　mind。　When；
emerging　from　the　body　as　from　a　palace　suddenly　given　over　to　silence
and　solitude　and　flying　through　the　gardens　of　the　soul；　the　mind
diffuses　itself　in　God；　it　tastes　the　delights　of　an　anticipated
death；　or　rather　of　a　future　life；　for　to　die　is　to　live；　and　in　that
condition；　partaking　of　divine　purity；　it　possesses　both　infinite　joy
and　complete　knowledge。　It　enters　into　the　unity　which　is　All。　It　is
perfected。

NICIAS。　That　is　very　fine；　but；　to　say　the　truth；　Hermodorus；　I　do　not
see　much　difference　between　All　and　Nothing。　Words　even　seem　to　fail
to　make　the　distinction。　Infinity　is　terribly　like　nothingnessthey
are　both　inconceivable　to　the　mind。　In　my　opinion　perfection　costs　too
dear；　we　pay　for　it　with　all　our　being；　and　to　possess　it　must　cease
to　exist。　That　is　a　calamity　from　which　God　Himself　is　not　free；　for
the　philosophers　are　doing　their　best　to　perfect　Him。　After　all；　if　we
do　not　know　what　it　is　/not/　to　be；　we　are　equally　ignorant　what　it　is
to　/be/。　We　know　nothing。　It　is　said　that　it　is　impossible　for　men　to
agree　on